Stearic Acid (saturated fat)

[Kokomodo]

Anyone have any insight into the relative impact of stearic acid vs other types of saturated fat on the liver? There is some indication that stearic acid does not impact cholesterol in the same way as other saturated fatty acids, which is relevant to cardiovascular health. (Although, the whole area of dietary fat and cholesterol seems to be imploding recently....) In any case, in regard to liver health, does the type of saturated fat matter? The saturated fat in coconut oil is about 3% stearic acid, while the saturated fat in cocoa butter is 55% stearic acid.

[Unclemud]

Very interesting, coconut seams to be the only fat I can eat without liver pain. I can't tolerate olive oil, not even an ounce(28grams) on a salad. But I can and do enjoy an ounce off 100% dark chocolate before bed, walnuts are kinda the same, even a little less. I'm looking for more info, as I suffer from a condition that apparently doesn't exist. And that's right from a liver specialist who said my liver was fine right after I was tortured from the Fibroscan. She kept clicking it saying it doesn't hurt and I kept saying "Stop". If anyone has any idea why it would hurt please reply!

[nash2 Partner]

Steric is the most inflammatory saturated fat and coconut is the least of the normal dietary fats. A big difference with coconut oil is that it is the only one that can go directly into the blood stream. The longer molecules enter the body through the lymph system so they contribute to the energy balance in somewhat different ways which some people react to.

[Kokomodo in reply to nash2]

Bummer. I guess I'll have to make my own chocolate using coconut oil....

Do you have a reference for the inflammatory effects of stearic acid? Or, additional reading?

[Kokomodo in reply to nash2]

Are you sure about that statement? See ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

-Stephen

[nash2 Partner]

Hi Stephen It is always a good idea to be cautious about animal studies, rats in particular, are very popular but differ in many ways from humans. Here are a couple of studies on human cells looking at how saturated and unsaturated fats behave which I find far more persuasive.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Wayne

[Kokomodo in reply to nash2]

Thank you; I'll keep reading. I really appreciate all the work the FLF puts into the website and this forum.

[nash2 Partner]

This article has a section on fats and a fairly extensive bibliography if you want to dig into the studies we think apply to our liver health

drive.google.com/file/d/1PB...

Wayne

[Kokomodo in reply to nash2]

Wayne, going back to your earlier comment on the difference between coconut oil and cocoa butter, are you suggesting that coconut oil (because the saturated fat is [absorbed in the blood stream?] - did I understand that correctly? - that the saturated fat in coconut oil does not contribute to liver inflammation or lipotoxicity?

[nash2 Partner]

No, while it is the least inflammatory of the common saturated fats, my point was that short chain fatty acids, which is coconut and anything shorter, can directly enter the blood stream from the bowel and go directly to the liver. All longer chain fatty acids are packaged in bundles called chylomicrons and enter through the lymph system which connects to the vena cava thus bypassing the liver in its first pass through the body. Anything not taken up by some other organ in that first pass does come back to the liver.